


A Different Life

by Munkustraps_Thighs



Category: Cats (2019), Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22389490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Munkustraps_Thighs/pseuds/Munkustraps_Thighs
Summary: "Would you try for a different life?"Munkustrap was quiet for a moment, regarding him in a way that made Mistoffelees feel as though he might be able to see inside his soul before he replied. "No," and though the one word answer was enough, the tom continued. "Why would I do that when I've got everything I could ever want right here in this one?"
Relationships: Mr. Mistoffelees & Munkustrap, Mr. Mistoffelees/Munkustrap
Comments: 9
Kudos: 103





	A Different Life

**Author's Note:**

> SOMEONE had to make something for them

Ever since Mistoffelees had been a kitten, the Jellicle Ball had been the cause for celebration. A night of joy, and music, and just enough mayhem to keep everyone on their toes until the next one.

He'd grown up in this tribe, they were his family in every sense of the word, but sometimes he still felt distant from them. Sometimes he felt as if they all had their own friends, their own habits, and their own quirks that made them… them. Whereas Mistoffelees was different, magical. There was no one like him which was part of what made him special, but part of what made him lonely sometimes too… but not when he was with Munkustrap.

Munkustrap understood him better than anyone else, he'd always been there for him through thick and thin, and Mistoffelees was proud to call the other tom his best friend. But then _she_ had turned up and thrown them all for a loop. Mistoffelees, who had suddenly developed strange and complicated feelings toward Victoria the white cat, most of all.

At first it felt like love, which confused him because the magical cat had never experienced emotions quite like this before. They were strange, and new, and _exciting._ He could see why someone like the Rum Tum Tugger (who was a terrible bore, mind you, no matter how handsome) might get as addicted to them as he clearly was. But then the emotions changed and jealousy took their place as he saw the way she looked at Munkustrap, a cat anyone would be lucky to have as a mate, and _didn't_ look at him. He was jealous, he knew that emotion well, but what startled him was the realization of who he was jealous _of._ Not Munkustrap, who'd captured Victoria's singular attention, but of Victoria who had captured the gray cats in return. He was jealous that Munkustrap was spending time with her and not him, and wasn't _that_ curious? 

"I don't think I can do this," he'd told the gray tabby as he was led on stage and prepared to capture the spotlight, but Munkustrap had only placed a finger under his chin and it was enough for Mistoffelees to feel like maybe he could. 

Victoria's very first ball had certainly been an exciting one, full of firsts and surprises and enough commotion to last them all until the next Jellicle moon, yet Mistoffelees still felt unfulfilled. Still felt like something was missing.

"Would you do it?" he asked as he stared up at the rising sun. Munkustrap stood next to him, tall and proud, and a good ways behind them sat a rescued Old Deuteronomy and Victoria as the pair of queens discussed what Mistoffelees could only assume was the white cats future. He hoped Victoria would stay... she deserved it. She truly _was_ a Jellicle cat. 

"Would I do what?" Munkustrap asked, and though Mistoffelees could feel his eyes on him he didn't look away from the clouds and the light filtering through them. If he looked hard enough he could just make out Grizabella amongst them.

"Would you try for a different life?" the tuxedo cat asked, and only then did he tear his gaze away to look at the gray tabby standing next to him. Munkustrap was wise, a natural born leader, he always had the answers that Mistoffelees seeked and Misto hoped now wouldn't be the exception.

Munkustrap was quiet for a moment, regarding him in a way that made Mistoffelees feel as though he might be able to see inside his soul before he replied. "No," and though the one word answer was enough, the tom continued. "Why would I do that when I've got everything I could ever want right here in this one?"

There was something hidden in his words, Mistoffelees could tell, but he was too tired and too high off of his own success to see it. Nodding his head, Mistoffelees looked away and wished his own answer could be as simple. He wished he could be content with what he had, even if it wasn't fully what he wanted. He didn't say anymore to Munkustrap, and the tabby didn't say anymore to him, and eventually the two parted ways as the sun finished it's rise and the city around them began to come alive.

Victoria was allowed to stay, and Mistoffelees watched as she was led away by Munkustrap to be shown the best places to nap, to eat, to live. Munkustrap had done the same for him when Mistoffelees had first arrived, but he wasn't jealous of Victoria. He wasn't jealous at all, actually. The tightness in his chest was simply from some bad fish.

"He likes you too, you know," the white cat had informed him out of the blue several weeks later.

"Who?" Mistoffelees had blurted, genuinely confused. 

Victoria looked at him for a few moments as if he were supposed to figure it out by her look alone, but eventually shook her head and looked away and that was the end of it.

The next time it was Tugger, several days after that, and by now Mistoffelees was certain there was a tribe-wide conspiracy going on.

"He's a stick in the mud, sure, but you could do worse." and with that Mistoffelees had had enough of this confusion as he turned on Tugger with a huff.

"Everlasting! Will one of you _please_ tell me who you're talking about?"

Tugger and Victoria shared glances, then turned their own confused faces back to his in order to meet his eyes. "He hasn't talked to you yet?" the white queen asked, and as Mistoffelees shifted on his feet and played nervously with the top hat beneath his paws he wasn't sure if he was waiting in anticipation or dread. 

"Who?"

"Munkustrap."

_"Munkustrap!?"_

Perhaps if Mistoffelees said the name enough times it would somehow seem less insane. Several confused, and exasperated, and disbelieving times later, it hadn't worked.

Racing toward Munkustrap's favorite perch (atop a windowsill overlooking the junkyard and most of the street leading toward the theater) Mistoffelees was breathless and surely not making any sense when he finally reached the other cat. He'd only tripped over his own tail once along the way, which was surely an improvement on his usual clumsiness.

"Are you in love with me?" He blurted, and maybe he should have prepared the other cat first if the shocked expression on Munkustrap's face was any indication. For a moment all Misto could do was stare, stare and ponder his own feelings on the matter. Did _he_ love Munkustrap? 

"Well, yes," the tabby was saying, and he'd probably say more if Misto hadn't taken that moment to practically tackle him. They both rolled from the window to the ground, but the impact was hardly noticeable next to the joy in his heart.

"I thought you knew."

"You thought wrong."

It was then that Mistoffelees finally understood, finally felt confident enough in his own answer to the question he'd asked the tabby that morning after the Jellicle Ball.

Mistoffelees too wouldn't try for a new life. Why would he, when he had everything he could ever want right here in this one?


End file.
